


And You Became Like Coffee

by Ysabetwordsmith



Series: Love Is For Children [58]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Beverages, Burns, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Ice, Jotunn Biology (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26256697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysabetwordsmith/pseuds/Ysabetwordsmith
Summary: Loki tries coffee, and loves it, but the heat is a problem.
Relationships: Loki & Avengers Team
Series: Love Is For Children [58]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/42722
Comments: 56
Kudos: 161





	And You Became Like Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> This is today's freebie, prompted by Dreamwidth user Mylittleangel. It also fills the "Family Support Makes a Difference" square in [my 9-1-20 card](https://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/12646160.html) for the I Want Fries With That! Bingo fest.

Steve was dishing out oatmeal  
so hot that it still bubbled in the bowls.

"Let that cool first," he warned  
as Loki reached for one.

It had become a habit,  
because Bruce had  
advised Loki to avoid  
foods that were too hot.

Part of that came from  
knowing his Jotunn heritage  
and part from noticing that  
Loki tended to let his food  
cool down to lukewarm  
before starting to eat.

Loki didn't take Bruce  
very seriously, though,  
because Thor teased Loki  
about his 'silly table habits'  
and Loki was sensitive about it.

"Do you want cream or yogurt  
on that?" Phil said diplomatically.

Loki looked at him through dark lashes.  
"What was Tony using on the fruit?"

 _"Crème fraîche,"_ said JARVIS.  
"It is in the refrigerator." The door  
popped open and a tiny spotlight  
pointed to a glass container  
with a local dairy label.

"Thank you, JARVIS, I'll  
get it," Phil said, because  
Steve had just sat down  
and needed to eat.

Phil passed the tub  
to Loki with a spoon.

Loki scooped out  
a generous portion  
of _crème fraîche_ and  
stirred it into his oatmeal.

Steve passed him the bowl  
of sliced strawberries without  
even needing to be asked.

Phil had gone with granola  
himself, but he had noticed  
Loki's fondness for anything  
with grains or fresh fruit.

Indeed, Loki was devouring  
breakfast at a rapid rate.

Bucky sat down and  
took the bowl that Steve  
had already fixed for him.

Loki's head came up.  
"What is that?" he said.  
"It smells _divine."_

"Coffee," said Bucky,  
setting down the cup  
held in his metal hand.  
"Tony buys the good kind."

"I want some," Loki said.

"Try a sip first," Bucky said.  
"I drink mine black, and  
this is pretty strong stuff."

"Let it cool first," Phil said,  
since Bruce wasn't there.

Loki ignored him, liberating  
Bucky's coffee to take a sip.

His eyebrows went up.  
"Oh, that really _is_ divine."

Then he chugged the whole cup.

No sooner had he finished than  
Loki doubled over in pain,  
clutching his stomach.

"What's wrong?" Phil said,  
reaching out to him.

"Hurts," Loki hissed  
through his teeth.

"JARVIS --" Bucky said.

"Calling Dr. Banner,"  
JARVIS said instantly.

"Let's get Loki onto  
the couch," Phil said.

"I've got him." Bucky  
scooped Loki into his arms  
and headed to the living room.

They were settling Loki on  
the couch when Clint trotted in,  
looking distinctly worried.

"I thought something might  
be up," Clint said, perching  
on the coffee table. "Now what?"

"Hot coffee," Bucky explained,  
jerking a thumb at Loki.

"Oh, that's -- that's  
not good," Clint said.

Loki snapped something  
that wasn't in English, but  
Clint was undeterred.

The relationship between  
the two of them was tangled  
at best, and not helped by  
the exchange of memories.

Fortunately Dr. Banner came in  
then, with his greater expertise.

"JARVIS told me that Loki had  
a problem with coffee," he said.

Loki just gave him a tight nod.

"Tell me what you're feeling, Loki,  
nausea or real pain?" Dr. Banner said.

"Real pain," Loki admitted. "It feels  
like a burn -- but Bucky was drinking it!"

Dr. Banner shook his head. "Don't use  
Bucky or Steve as role models when it  
comes to temperature," he said.  
"They're a bit ... skewed."

Which was to say they'd  
both bathe in water that was  
a few degrees short of scalding  
and eat things right out of the oven.

"Do your mouth and throat  
hurt too?" Dr. Banner said.

"Yesss," Loki hissed.

Dr. Banner poked gently  
at Loki's stomach, looked  
at a tablet computer, and  
gave a thoughtful hum.

"You probably scalded  
yourself a bit," he said. "I've  
got an idea for something that  
might help. Don't mind the noise."

Dr. Banner went into the kitchen.  
A couple minutes later, there was  
a low growl rising to a shriek.

Loki and Bucky covered  
their ears, wincing.

Soon Dr. Banner  
came back with  
a glass of something.

He took a sip, then offered it  
to Loki. "Here. It's aloe juice  
with a lot of ice plus lemon  
and mint to make it drinkable."

Loki gave him a suspicious look,  
but cautiously sampled the stuff.

"That is ... surprisingly not bad,"  
Loki said. "Thank you." He  
drank it carefully but steadily.

When he set down the empty cup,  
Dr. Banner said, "Feel any better?"

"Yes, I think the ice helped," Loki said. 

"I hoped it would," Dr. Banner said.  
"That and your healing factor mean  
you should be fine. Just try to be  
more careful about hot things, okay?  
We don't want you to get hurt."

"I will take more care," Loki said.  
Then he sighed. "It just tasted  
so good. It seems that I am ever  
drawn to things which are bad for me."

"I know that feel, bro," Clint said,  
patting Loki on the shoulder.

"What is _that_ supposed  
to mean?" Loki said.

"You took me," Clint said,  
"and you became like coffee,  
in the deliciousness, and  
the bitterness, and the addiction."

"Oh," Loki said. He licked his lips.  
"I suppose ... you are not wrong."

Definitely a complicated relationship,  
and there wasn't much Phil could  
do to make it any easier on them.

"There are other things made  
from coffee beans," Phil said,  
hoping to lighten the mood some.  
"I'm sure Tony has Kahlúa."

"Indeed," said JARVIS. "There  
is a bottle in the kitchen cabinet  
intended for culinary purposes."

"Maybe later," Loki said. He  
looked as tired as he sounded.

"I know just the thing," Clint said,  
bounding into a chair. "JARVIS,  
pull up _Ice Age_ for us, please."

"Shall I notify the other Avengers,  
or is this a private viewing only?"  
JARVIS asked as the screen lit.

"Sure, pass the word," Clint said.

A moment later, JARVIS said,  
"Betty and Natasha are out shopping,  
but the others will join us shortly."

Steve came out of the kitchen,  
drying his hands on a towel.

He and Bucky made a nest of  
pillows and blankets on the floor.

Tony scampered in just as  
the movie started, worming  
his way between them.

"Good idea, Clint,"  
Phil said with a smile.

The antics of the characters  
went a long way toward  
lifting everyone's mood.

The credits were rolling  
when Natasha strolled in  
and handed Loki a cup.

His eyes narrowed.  
"What is this?" he said.

"This is mocha frappuccino,"  
Natasha said. "It contains  
coffee that is mostly frozen.  
It should be safe for you."

Loki sampled it, then curled  
his hands around the cup.  
"This is splendid," he said.  
"Thank you most kindly."

Tony, however, was  
staring at them in horror.

"You have brought evil  
into my house!" he roared. 

Loki looked up, startled. 

Natasha rolled her eyes.  
"Oh, not this again.  
Grow up, Tony." 

"EVIL!" Tony said  
as he pointed at  
the Starbucks cup.  
_"Eeeeevillllll."_

Phil just chuckled.  
Such was life in  
Avengers Tower.

**Author's Note:**

> And you became like coffee,  
> in the deliciousness,  
> and the bitterness,  
> and the addiction.  
> \-- [Mahmoud Darwish](https://www.azquotes.com/quote/815003?ref=coffee)
> 
> [Crème fraîche](https://www.splendidtable.org/story/2000/12/12/homemade-creme-fraiche) is a cultured cream product that is sweeter than sour cream.
> 
> Dreamwidth user Technoshaman adds:  
> Tony's reaction to the Evil Mermaid of Corporate Coffee tells me EXACTLY where he gets his coffee. [Devoción](https://www.devocion.com/pages/cafes), from the shop in the Flatiron district, 3 stops south on N/Q from the Tower. TEN DAYS from origin to roast. Fresher'n a whole FIELD of dasies; probably so damn gassy he has to let it age for a week or so so it doesn't overflow the brewer. (It also doesn't hurt that some of the growers were former customers of Tony's; when Tony decided blowing up the world wasn't for him anymore, he convinced these guys to quit doing so too, and make him [coffee](https://www.devocion.com/collections/coffee-1/products/coffee-colombia-wildforest) (Srsly, read the description. Former guerrillas, making coffee.) 
> 
> Bruce, however, prefers [Gimme! Coffee](https://gimmecoffee.com/), which he gets shipped in from Ithica; he's helping them do genome analysis on the arabica bean to give it the disease resistance of robusta without the harsh taste... (yes, they're actually doing that this side of the Tef.) Bruce probably uses a pour-over into a borosilicate (lab-grade) double-walled glass mug, handle-less so the Green Guy won't have issues. 
> 
> [Aloe vera juice](https://www.who.com.au/aloe-vera-juice-11-benefits-of-drinking-aloe-vera) provides a variety of benefits, among which is soothing the stomach. It can be made into refreshing slushies with a [blender](https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/aloe-vera-juice/) or [ice cream maker](https://wellvegan.com/recipe/aloe-vera-lemonade-slush).
> 
> [Kahlúa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahl%C3%BAa) is a coffee liqueur.
> 
>  _[Ice Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Age_\(2002_film\))_ is an animate movie about prehistoric characters.
> 
> [Frappuccino](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frappuccino) is a [blended coffee drink](http://www.starbucks.com/menu/drinks/frappuccino-blended-beverages/espresso-frappuccino-blended-beverage) that can be dressed up with various additions. Enjoy a recipe for [mocha frappuccino](http://www.sweetestkitchen.com/2013/03/homemade-mocha-frappuccino/).


End file.
